


Dearly Connected

by rainier_day



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Compliant, F/F, Gen, M/M, Sara Wakes Up Early, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 17:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14430666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainier_day/pseuds/rainier_day
Summary: At the age of ten, all the humans in his class are gathered for 'the talk’.AU where soulmates can write messages to each other





	1. Chapter 1

It starts off rough.

At the age of ten, all the humans in his class are gathered for 'the talk’.

A special teacher is brought in just for the day. She stands in front of the class, her demeanor kind and approachable, which only serves to make the children more restless because _everyone_ already knows what’s coming. “Hello, class. As you know, everyone in the Milky Way has a special someone. You may have heard of it referred to as any number of things like ‘partners’, or ‘mates’, or even ‘chosen’. For humans, our skin reflects what is written on our partner’s. For example…”

She pulls out a marker and writes ‘ _Please say hello_ ’ on her arm.

Almost immediately, a ‘ _Hello!_ ’ pops up.

The class erupts into murmurs of awe but both he and Sara aren't moved in the least. They've watched their parents exchange messages plenty of times. And while the two of them promised each other to wait until 'Partner Day’ to write to their special someone, Scott knows they've both been trying to imagine what kind of person they'll be paired with; Sara more in excitement and him in anxiety.

What if his partner doesn't like him?

What if _he_ doesn't like his partner?

What if he doesn't _have_ a partner?

When he voiced his concerns to his twin, she merely reassured him, “You'll always have me, Scotty. Twins are a special kind of partner!”

While touching, he'd rather not be a third wheel for the rest of his life.

The teacher hands out markers to everyone in the class and tells them, “Now, you can write your own message to your partner, but remember! No two partners will be the same! Don't be discouraged if they don't answer you right away! They could be younger than you or may not speak the same language you do! Please be patient with them!”

His heart is racing as he's handed a marker. Exchanging glances with his twin, they both nod at each other and uncap their pens.

Scott wonders what his first words to his partner should be. Something fun? Something mature? He tries not to hope too hard. After all, he's heard of stories where people wait for years and years and years before getting a response—if they ever get one at all.

Glancing over, Sara seems to have none of these doubts. Grinning, she writes in bold, wide strokes to her partner, wherever and whoever they may be. He turns back to his own message and swallows hard.

_'Hello. My name is Scott. I hope you are reading this.’_

Sitting back, he waits with butterflies flying circles in his stomach.

Around him, some people start gasping with delight, some sharing their messages with their friends, others too busy writing. He glances down at his arm in anticipation, wondering if a message will make his skin tingle or if it’ll just appear like magic.

Nothing happens.

He waits and waits and waits.

Still nothing.

He tries not to be discouraged but he can feel his heart sinking.

Next to him, Sara suddenly starts crying.

Unable to hold back his own tears, he joins her.

\--

His skin tingles.

Looking down, fifteen year old Reyes Vidal watches as unfamiliar words form on his skin. Afraid of the childish scribbles disappearing, he puts the crate down and runs to his mother. “¡Mama, mira!”

She loads the boxes into the back of shuttle and turns around, brushing the loose strands of hair out from her eyes. Looking down at his arm, she gets a sad look in her eyes that he only sees when she talks about his father. “Mijo, we can talk about this later. Go get that crate, we need to finish loading and get to the docks before the ships leave.”

Hesitant, he glances down at the words again, the language new and foreign to him. He wishes he had a pen on hand to write down the message so as to preserve it. Honing in on 'Scott’, he decides to remember that word and commits it to memory.

Quickly turning around, he picks up the crate and continues helping his mother fill the back of their cargo ship.

\--

For the next few weeks, Sara spends all of her free time trading jabs with her partner in their shared room and all he can do is sit on his bed and watch in envy. He continues writing to his partner, wherever and whoever they may be, but he still hasn't received a reply. As patient as he's trying to be, it's disheartening all the same.

As though sensing the change in his mood, Sara walks over and plops herself down on his bed and offers up her arm. “You want to join? We’re talking about books.”

\--

“I think it's English,” one of the men at the docks mutters as the shipment's being unloaded. “Have you tried writing back?”

Reyes shakes his head. He doesn’t tell them about the look his mother got on her face when he brought it up.

His mother had sat him down and explained the idea of soulmates to him. “But, mijo,” she had said, clutching his arms, “just because the universe connected you, it doesn't mean the universe or your connected will be on your side when things get rough. Before even _thinking_ about your connected, learn how to take care of yourself first. No one else will once I'm gone.”

“I just want to know what it says,” he tells the man.

“You could try to get your hands on a translator if you’re curious, but I can't read that. Wait, hang on,” the man calls another person over and points at his arm. “Can you translate that?”

“Yeah, sure. Let’s see. ‘ _Today, Father came back on leave and we'll be going on a family trip to London on Earth_ ,’” the man reads to him. “Lucky kid. Must be a spacer.”

He looks down at his arm. “Is London far?”

The men laugh warmly and ruffle his hair. “Too far for your little ship, I’m afraid, chico.”

\--

Scott is certain he has a silent partner. He knows this person exists somewhere because the smudges on his arms definitely weren't made by him. They're little specks of black and occasionally smeared down the arm. He watches in fascination as the droplets change shape. His partner seems to be working on something and he has no idea what.

‘ _Hi, are you working?_ ’ he writes.

\--

Situated up in the Chilean Andes, the cargo ship his father left behind is the town’s only mean to transport their goods to and from the docks. He learned early on how to fly and maintain the aircraft. Wiping the dust off his brow, he steps back and closes the engine hood. He pulls off his gloves and crawls into the pilot seat to switch the engine on.

The ship sputters to life.

Hopping back out, Reyes smiles at his mother. “Good as new.”

His mother smiles back and runs a hand through his hair, combing out a clump of engine oil and dirt from the strands. “Well done, mijo, but you’re filthy. Go wash up and finish your school work.”

When he rolls his sleeves up in the bathroom, he finds a new message waiting for him and quickly runs to his room to write it down in the back of his notebook to ponder later.

\--

“Sara, why do you think they're not answering?”  Scott asks for the umpteenth time, lying on the ground and looking up at his arm.

She looks up from her book. “Maybe they don't know how to write yet? Maybe they don't know what you're writing? Have you tried drawing?”

He sulks. “You know I can't draw.”

Sara thinks it over for a moment and shrugs. “Yeah, me neither. Maybe you should just keep writing then.”

\--

“Mama, I want to learn English,” he says over dinner one night.

She pauses, halfway finished spooning the food onto his plate. “This again?”

“They don't offer it at school, I already asked. I don't need much, just a book or a translator to get started,” Reyes pleads, trying his best puppy-dog eyes. “Please, he writes me so much, I just want to write _something_ back.”

“You write back and then what?” she asks. “And then you meet? The universe may have connected you but that may not mean anything beyond words on your arm no matter what promises they make you. Believe me.”

He frowns and crosses his arms, a familiar frustration welling up inside him. “Just because that happened to you doesn't mean it'll happen to me. Besides, you found your connected in the end, didn’t you?”

“Your papa was a good man, but he was not my connected,” she says, keeping her eyes trained on the table.

His arms go slack and the fight leaves him. “Oh.”

Heaving a sigh, she finishes filling his plate and shakes her head. He hates when she looks like that. “Reyes, please drop this. Dreams won't bring food to the table.”

\--

A year passes and Scott writes on his arm more out of habit than anything. He still sees splatters every now and then and takes them as a sign of comfort. Even if his partner’s not writing, at least he knows they’re there.

\--

Now sixteen, Reyes manages to steal a book from the city's library while doing shipments one day. On another day, he comes across a broken down cargo ship and fixes it for a small fee and pockets the money. From there, he starts picking up odd jobs every now and again around the docks until he saves enough to get himself a second-hand translator.

When he continues being approached for jobs, he decides to buy a couple of bootlegged vids as well.

At night, he hides under his blanket and watches the vids, quietly repeating the words back to himself.

“You'll never get away with this, you charlatan!” the character on the screen shouts, and mesmerized, he mutters the line under his breath, wondering if he’ll ever get the chance to hear it in real life.

\--

Two more years pass and Scott has mostly accepted the idea that his partner either cannot or will not write back. He still hopes, but that hasn't gotten him anywhere yet so when a girl confesses to him, he accepts.

They kiss on Partner Day and he only knows because she gets a message on her arm right after and she promptly dumps him right there in her excitement. He doesn't cry, but he does go home and hug his mother for a long time.

‘ _Hey, partner, are you even there?_ ’

\--

He misses the message on the day of his mother's funeral. Her health had been declining as of late and the doctor from the next town over had nothing but condolences to offer, so he watched her waste away just as she watched his father waste away after the accident.

Everyone in their little town shows up to pay their respects, offering their sympathies and whatever help they can. Amidst the eulogies held in their local cemetery, Reyes notices a wealthy looking man watching from afar.

Instinctively, he knows who this man is and as much as he wants to confront him, he merely clenches his fists and turns away.

It's what his mother would've wanted.

\--

At fifteen, he and Sara manage to enroll in the Systems Alliances academy. They hold each other's hands when they say goodbye to their parents and get aboard the shuttle, both eager to move onto the next stage of their lives.

It isn't until later that year that they find out about their father's dishonourable discharge.

\--

He takes two of the neighbour's children into town with him. Having spent the last few weeks teaching them to fly and do basic repairs, Reyes knows these two will do fine in his place. Walking around the docks, he greets his acquaintances and contacts and picks up the new parts he ordered for the ship.

Replacing them at the docks, he shuts the hood and pats the old, wind-worn paint job with a smile. “If you treat her right, this upgrade should last you another decade at least.”

The children watch him with wide, eager eyes. “We'll take good care of her, we promise. Will you come back to visit, Reyes?”

From the back, he takes out his bag of what few belongings he still owns and slings it over his shoulder. Chuckling, he reaches down and ruffles their hair. “We'll see. Make sure you take care of my ship, you two.”

He walks off to the other side of the dock where his latest contact is waiting for him. “Vidal? You the one who speaks English?”

Twenty and ready to take on the world, he smiles easily and shakes the man’s hand. “That'd be me.”

\--

Scott is grateful to have Sara by his side throughout his academy years. Without her threatening to take a charge at anyone who so much as looked as them wrong, he's sure their precarious situation would've escalated quickly and dangerously.

At the academy, they develop their own reputation outside of their father’s tarnished one, though the legacy of Alec Ryder never really goes away. They feel the scrutiny at every exam and every assignment. The two of them learn to brush it off, letting their results speak for them, unflinchingly meeting all of their instructors’ eyes as they decide on their grades.

He still writes on his arm, although he does so without any expectations now. And at eighteen and the end of their three years of training, they've finally been assigned their first mission as full-fledged members of the Space Alliance Military.

Taking Sara’s hand before they part ways, he looks down, having grown a good head taller than her. “Guess we made it. I'm glad you were here, sis.”

She grins and pulls him into a tight hug. “Like I said, Scotty, twins are a kind of partner too. You'll always have me on your side.”

\--

Space is every bit as exciting and messy as he expected. In three years, he climbs up the ranks and moves through organization after organization until he finds himself standing in front of the Pirate Queen of Omega. “You're Vidal?”

“The one and only,” he answers easily with a slight bow. Confidence comes naturally to him now, having found that people in this area of work are generally more open to a charming rogue than a humble success story.

The asari narrows her eyes and he can already sense how impenetrable her guards are. “You better be worth the trouble of bringing you here.”

Reyes shrugs and smiles. “You’re not going to take my word for it, so I guess you'll find out.”

“I guess I will.” She relaxes and leans back in her seat. “There's only one rule you need to know about when working on Omega.”

\--

The relay is an excellent analogy of his life so far, Scott decides at twenty years old. While he gets his share of action, mostly, he just watches people go off to find their fame and glory and, in some cases, partners.

He calls Sara and his friends from the academy every now and then to catch up, but most of the time, he's stuck with his station mates. “You're definitely cheating,” he mutters, throwing his cards down.

“You’ve been saying that for the last two years, Ryder,” his friend laughs. Suddenly, the turian pauses and his mandibles flare. "Hold up, sorry, got a message from the mate.”

Scott sighs and waves him off. “Go for it. I'll be here trying to figure out your dirty tricks.”

“Yeah, good luck with that.”

Sitting back, he considers calling his sister for an update on her projects when he gets pinged by his father. It’s a rare occurrence even at the best of times. Arching a brow, he picks up. “Hello? Dad? Is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine, Scott. Just wanted to see if you've heard about the Andromeda Initiative?”

\--

Reyes nearly trips over his own feet when he reads the message on his arm. “Andromeda Initiative?”

From what he knows off the top of his head, some human with too many credits to spare is funding a project to send people into Andromeda as part of a space exploration and expansion initiative. Now twenty-five, he's developed an ear for information and heard loose rumours about it around the bars and clubs, but he never thought to pay them too much attention until now.

Scratching his head, he turns around and goes back to his apartment to do more research.

\--

Taking a deep breath, he looks over at his sister. “We waited two years for this. You ready, sis?”

They're standing in front of their stasis pods, waiting to be put into cryo; Sara more in excitement and him in anxiety.

Completely unfazed at the prospect of going into deep sleep for six centuries, she grins at him. Even at twenty-two, she still has the same toothy smile as when they were children. “I'm always ready, baby bro.”

He nods at her arm. “She's coming too?”

“You know it. She’s on the Nexus crew though, so they’ll be going into cryo last. I'll meet her when I wake up,” she tells him. “It'll add to the excitement.” A pause. “Are _you_ okay with leaving?”

Scott shrugs. “I'll write them a message but it's been twelve years and I've never gotten a reply. I think it's about time I said goodbye.”

She frowns and rubs his arm comfortingly. “I'm sorry you never heard back, Scotty. But hey, maybe you'll find a partner in Andromeda?”

“I guess we’ll see, but right now, I'm more excited about exploring new planets,” he says. “I can worry about romance after. Worse comes to worst, I guess I'll just have to make do being your third wheel.”

Sara laughs. “You're always welcome to live vicariously through me. Here,” she hands him a marker. “I'm getting the five minute mark.”

Thinking about it for a moment, he uncaps the felt and writes,

_‘This is goodbye, then. Maybe I'll try writing you again in 600 years.’_

\--

“Good job, Vidal. I believe this is what you're looking for?”

He eagerly takes the tablet from Aria and scrolls through the documents that will allow him to board the Nexus as a cargo pilot. Everything looks authentic and in order. His heart is hammering away in anticipation—and then he sees the departure date. “Wait, I'm supposed to get to the Citadel by _when_?”

The asari grins and leans back. “Don't. Fuck. With. Aria.”

She must've found out about the time he spoke to the Patriarch against her orders, or the time he killed one of her contacts, or maybe it was the time he picked up a side job for the Talons. Whatever it was, she picked the worst time to get even with him.

Taking a moment to calm himself, Reyes inhales and rereads the documents. Although it'll be tight, he's reached the Citadel in less time before. Chuckling, he turns around and waves the tablet at the Pirate Queen. “Thanks, I always knew you had a soft spot for me. I'll send you a postcard when I get there.”

Twenty-seven and feeling larger than life, he gives Aria one last wink and runs out of Afterlife before she can change her mind.

With the same duffle bag and just as few belongings as when he'd left his little town all those years ago, he throws everything into the back of his ship and races towards the nearest mass relay.

As he’s flying, he uncaps a marker with his teeth and quickly writes on his arm,

_‘Hang on, I'm coming too.’_


	2. Chapter 2

When she finds out about partners from her mother, Sara immediately tells her brother about it. Together, they spend a good chunk of their childhood trying to picture what their partner will be like; her more in excitement and Scott in anxiety.

“What kind of partner do you want, Scotty?” she asks one night in their shared room, lying in bed and legs idly kicking in the air.

At their desk Scott looks up from his handheld. “I want someone who will play _First Contact_ with me, I guess? I can never win against you.”

Sara grins. “That's because you always freeze right before taking the shot! Sometimes you just have to jump into things without looking! But anyway, I meant if you wanted a human for a partner.”

“Oh, I don't know. Sure? Humans are good, we'd have all the same parts,” he answers, walking over to her bed. “Why? What are _you_ looking for? You were just waiting for me to ask you back, weren't you?”

“Sort of,” she admits, grin widening. “Wouldn't it be cool to have a partner that's different?”

Scott wrinkles his nose in thought. “I guess? I don't care as long as they'll play with me.”

\--

“Dad?” she asks groggily, sitting up in bed.

“Sorry, I didn’t make to wake up,” a voice comes from the front entrance of their tiny apartment. I’ll be right back, Vetra, go back to sleep.” She lies back down, but before sleep can overtake her, she hears, “Make sure you take care of Sid, alright?”

The next morning, with her crying sister in her arms, Vetra finds the apartment empty.

\--

When Partner Day rolls around, Sara can barely sit still in her excitement. The teacher rambles on about how humans make contact with their partners and she glances over to see her brother wringing his hands nervously. “What's wrong, Scotty?”

“What if my partner doesn't like me, Sara? What if I don't even have one?” he asks.

Arching a brow, Sara gives him a pat on the shoulder and smiles. "You'll always have me, Scotty. Twins are a special kind of partner!”

He shoots her a weak grin back.

She thinks to comfort him further but then a marker is handed to them and that train of thought comes to a halt. They exchange glances and nod.

Uncapping her marker, she already knows what she wants to say.

 _'Hi, my name is Sara! I am ten. I'm reading Larry Otter right now. Nice to meet you._ ’

Pleased with her message, Sara sits back and waits.

Nothing happens.

She waits and waits and waits.

Suddenly, a shiver runs down her back and she looks down.

_'Snake kills Humblehog.”_

Wide eyed, she stares at her arm. Tears well up and before she can stop herself, she starts crying.

Next to her, Scott quickly follows suit.

\--

Rummaging through another dust coated crate in the back, Vetra hisses as she stubs a finger on something hidden under the thick layer packing chips. Cursing, she almost misses the shiver running down her back and the beeping on her wrist.

Her mandibles flare and she pulls up her omnitool. A program she's seen but never used before flashes and she taps it to see a message from someone named 'Sara’, just a few years younger than her.

She's heard about this before—turian mates writing to one another by etching words into their carapace. Unable to look that far back, a tool was developed to read and write without having to take their suit off.

It's not something she's ever given much thought, but there it is, a simple message splayed before her.

Vetra pauses, unsure how to respond. Does she introduce herself back? Does she ignore it? Without her father around, she doesn't have time for a mate right now with Sid and her job at the warehouse, but it would feel like a wasted opportunity. This 'Sara’ is her mate after all.

Then she notices the last bit of the message about the book series. She just finished reading the latest installment to Sid last week.

Scratching the side of her head, she quickly taps back a response and carries on with her work.

\--

In between classes at the academy, the first thing Sara does is check her arm for messages. Their father’s discharge may hound them, but at least she still _has_ a father. Seventeen and better able to put things into perspective, she doesn't know how she would've survived if she and Scott had been on left on their own or what kind of toll surviving would have on them.

Suddenly, a person barrels into her from behind. Sara whips around, ready to charge them through the nearest wall only to hear her brother’s laughter. “Scotty, don't sneak up on me like that!” she complains, elbowing him in the ribs. “I could've ruptured your spleen!”

Scott, now annoyingly tall, rests his chin on the top of her head and puts his hands on her shoulders to steer her towards the wall. She can feel the reverberation of his laughing and digs her heels in just to be obstinate, though it doesn't deter him in the least. “If you're going to write to Vetra, you should at least stand to the side of the hall. You know, a bit of common courtesy,” Scott says lightly.

She looks up at him. The fact that he never heard from his partner only fuels her protectiveness. After all, who in this galaxy is going to look out for her giant crybaby of a twin if not her?

“Sara?” Scott asks. “You okay?”

Blinking, she shakes the thoughts from her mind and grins and reaches up to pat her brother on the cheek. “I was just thinking about how lucky you are to have me, Scotty.”

Scott swats her hand away with a huff. “I already know that. You're lucky to have me too, you know? Who else will make sure you're not blocking everyone's path?”

Sara considers this for a moment. It _would_ be awfully lonely to go through like twin-less. “Yeah, I suppose I am. Guess that means I’ll have to keep you around.”

\--

“Sidera Nyx, you sit down and do your homework!” Vetra yells, distracted from her message when a little figure runs by the door. “Don't make me come find you!”

"But it's so _boring_ , Vetra!” her sister yells back. “I'll do my homework if you can find me!”

In their tiny little one bedroom apartment, there aren't really any places to hide other than the bathroom and two closets. The game wouldn't be hard and it'd make Sid happy, but she's so _tired_.

She still has this manifest to write out and one of the workers slipped her a few credits to leave a little extra room for his personal shipments. That wasn't hard to pull off, but a side client of hers contacted her last minute with a rush order and she's not sure how she's going to slip this one through C-Sect.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she tries to muster up the energy to indulge her little sister for a few minutes.

Suddenly, there are taps on her carapace. She blinks and turns her head to see Sid standing there, thumping her fists against her back. “What are you doing there, Kiddo?” she asks lightly.

“Giving you a massage,” Sid replies, matter-of-factly. “You looked tired.”

The resulting surge of emotions hits her hard. “I’m fi…” she trails off for a moment and takes in a shuddering breath. “Thanks, Sid.”

\--

The Andromeda Initiative comes as a surprise. Although given how far Alec Ryder’s tattered reputation has followed them, she supposes the next logical step would be to leave the galaxy.

Sara talks to Scott that night to discuss their father’s proposal. He's hesitant but also excited at the prospect of exploring an unknown world. “Think about it, we'll get to do all the stuff Dad used to talk about! New worlds, first contact, new settlements! And we'll be in the front lines for it all!”

His excitement is contagious and the two of them end up spending hours speculating what life in Andromeda might be like. At the end of the call, Scott asks her, “Have you spoken to Vetra about this yet?”

“No, I’m going to message her after this,” she replies, rummaging through her desk for a marker.

“Oh, well, good luck with that. Maybe you’ll be able to convince her to come too?”

She smiles. “That doesn’t sound like a half bad idea. I’ll have to see what she thinks.”

\--

“I could use your help out there. Just think about it, okay?”

“Will do, Kesh,” Vetra says easily, leaving the room. Once the door closes, she lets out a sigh and looks down at her omnitool to find a message from Sara.

_‘What time is it there? Is it okay to talk?’_

Vetra can feel something akin to dread well up inside her. _‘Yeah, of course. What’s up? Is something wrong?’_

_'Nothing’s wrong. Something came up and I wanted to hear your thoughts on it. Ever heard of the Andromeda Initiative?’_

She stares and stares at her omnitool, expecting the message to change, but it stays. Scratching her cheek, Vetra huffs. “Small world.”

\--

_'See you in six hundred. I'll try not to make you cry with my opening line.’_

Smiling at her arm as she walks towards her pod, Sara looks up and nods at her brother. “Let's do this, baby bro.”

Scott spares one last glance at his arm before pulling his sleeve down and nodding. “Right behind you, sis.”

Doctor Carlyle sighs as he walks up to the panel. “God help the poor galaxy about to receive a family of Ryders.”

Sara laughs and holds her arm out for the injection. “You know it'll be great, Harry. Isn't that why you're coming along?”

Instead of answering, the doctor shakes his head and mutters, “You Ryders are all the same.”

Scott grins. “Maybe a six hundred-year nap will make us more bearable?”

Unable to keep a straight face, Harry snorts and gets the pods ready. “Yeah, a nap. Maybe that’s the key. I guess we'll see what happens. Sweet dreams, you two.”

“That stuff kicks in fast,” Scott mutters. Then he glances over and smiles. “Catch you in a few, Sara.”

She lies down as blackness starts creeping in the edge of her vision. “See you on the other side, Scotty.”

\--

Andromeda is a mess no one could’ve predicted. She wakes Sid as soon as she can and they spend a year living through the chaos. It's nothing she can't handle. As far as disasters go, she's seen worse back at the warehouse she used to work at, though, if an ark doesn't dock soon, their disaster will turn into a tragedy no one in the Milky Way will ever know about.

Kesh keeps most of the Nexus blacked out to conserve what energy they can and they start rationing food supplies—an easier task now with the exiles gone.

Vetra checks her omnitool every now and then, tapping on it to make sure it's still working. It's been six hundred and one years since she last heard from Sara. The last message they exchanged is still there at the top of the screen.

 _'Until Andromeda. I can't wait to see you._ ’

Over a year in and there's been no news from any of the arks and she can feel hope dwindling in not only herself, but all the inhabitants on the Nexus. She and Kesh have their backup plan lined up already, but they're trying to hold out.

It'd be a shame to come all the way to Andromeda only to give up.

Then the human ark shows up.

 _Sara_.

There's a flurry of activity as the Nexus powers back on. News of Alec Ryder’s death travels through the station but the panic is quelled by a new name.

Scott Ryder.

As much of a relief as that is, Vetra is more interested in the other Ryder. Caught up in the sudden arrival and expected departure of the new Pathfinder, she doesn't get a chance to leave the Tempest because _Spirits_ , these people haven't loaded anything in over a year and it's obvious.

Even so, it feels good to have something to do again.

It's only when she's about finished that Sid comes by and finds her and starts tugging at her arm. “Vetra! Come here! It's important!”

Allowing herself to be pulled away, Vetra lets her mandibles flare. “Where are you going in such a hurry, Sid?”

“I found her! I found your Sara!”

She's directed over to the Hyperion medbay while her sister returns to her station. Getting off the shuttle, Vetra walks down the steps past all the personnel working and moving past her.

There'd been an accident, Sid had told her. Sara’s alright but they're waiting for her to wake naturally from an induced coma.

Oh, and she's small and cute.

Stepping through the doors, Vetra can see various people being treated for injuries. Probably from the disastrous and fruitless venture onto Habitat 7, she figures.

She looks around and notices the figure lying on a bed near the middle of the row with a figure hunched over by her side. Walking over, she stops in front of the humans.

Sid was right. She _is_ small and cute.

The young man next to her looks up, bruised and reddened eyes meeting hers. “Can I help you?” he asks, voice a little hoarse. “Is the ship ready?”

“I'm Vetra Nyx,” she says. “We've talked before.”

\--

It feels like she's floating.

There's darkness all around, and then suddenly, SAM’s voice.

“Scott, I have established contact.”

“Do I...do I just talk?” comes a familiar voice.

 _Scotty?_ she tries to call out. Her voice doesn't seem to be working though.

“Sara! Is that you? Can you hear me?”

_Yeah, what happened? Where are we?_

“We're on the Nexus. We made it to Andromeda but there was an accident and you're in the medbay right now,” Scott tells her. He pauses and Sara can imagine him rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “You're kind of in a coma but SAM is letting us talk through the implant.”

_What?_

“I don't fully understand it myself, but it’s working and we're talking—I think. I asked Vetra if she wanted to come chat, but she said she's still trying to come up with something good to say to you when you two meet.”

_You met Vetra?_

A weak chuckle. “Yeah, guess I got to meet her before you, huh? Sorry.”

_Is she amazing?_

“She's pretty great, sis. You should hurry up and wake up to meet her yourself.”

He sounds exhausted and on the verge of tears and she wonders with fierce protectiveness if anyone's looking out for her brother.

_I’m trying, Scotty. Where's Dad?_

Scott doesn't answer right away and she feels her stomach drop. There's a hitched breath. “Sara...Dad’s gone.”

_Gone? What do you mean?_

With a strained voice, he tells her, “There was an accident and he died saving my life on Habitat 7. I'm sorry. He's gone.”

_But I thought Habitat 7 was supposed to be our new home?_

Another pause. She wonders if he's holding her hand right now. He's always liked doing that when he's anxious. “That didn't go as planned. It's not inhabitable yet.”

The panic grows but she tries to quell it.

_Yet?_

“We found terraforming vaults. They seem to be working on Eos, but I don't know. I just—” A choked sob. “…Sara, please wake up soon.”

\--

“Let's scout the area in case we missed anything.”

Vetra nods and starts walking towards higher ground. They're on Kadara running a job for Reyes Vidal and just broke up a fight between a group of Outcasts and Collectives.

By broke up, she means fought off and looted their things.

Scott is turning out to be a better Pathfinder and friend than she originally expected. Despite his reluctance, he's already reactivated three vaults, established first contact, and rescued the Moshae.

She asks about Sara sometimes and Scott will regale her with stories, giving context to messages she's seen before. Given what she's heard so far, she can't wait for the other Ryder to wake up.

Climbing up a rock face, the view that greets her at the top takes her breath away. Below, she can see Scott walking around and talking to someone through his comms. Judging by his dopey grin and occasional stuttering, it's probably Reyes. Beyond that, she catches sight of the horizon between a couple of mountains in the distance.

Opening up her omnitool, Vetra saves the nav point and writes a message to Sara. She still does that sometimes despite knowing that the words will be gone by the time Sara wakes up. But if Scott could talk to her, maybe she'll receive the messages through her implant somehow. If not, they’ll always have her omnitool’s logs.

“Vetra, you see anything?” Scott calls out.

She glances down over the ledge. “No, it’s all clear.”

With one last glance at the message, she hits send and climbs down to rejoin the group.

_'Found something to show you. Can't wait for you to join us out here.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea that inspired this fic was literally "What's the worst first message you could receive? Probably 'Snape kills Dumbledore'."
> 
> Larry Otter came from a very deep discussion about what the character from Harry Potter's names would be if they were animals and I felt it appropriate to use that here for some reason


	3. Chapter 3

Andromeda is a disaster from the get go. The whole affair is ridiculous and Reyes is lucky he's learnt to thrive in chaos. Putting his Milky Way skills to use, he trades and barters and keeps himself above desperation, occasionally extending a hand when it’s in his best interest to do so.

So far, the only thing he hasn't been able to track down is that bottle of Mount Milgrom he noticed on the manifesto before the Nexus ever took off.

All around him, the tension rises as people grow more and more restless with each passing day. Majority of the leadership perished, exploration crews have been unsuccessful with the Scourge and the kett prowling this galaxy, and now, the Nexus higher ups seem to be colluding with the krogan after particularly vocal protests from the security team. From the safety of the storage room he's claimed as his base of operation, he watches the Nexus buckle under the pressure.

The rebellion doesn't come as a surprise. After so many months in and still no sign of the arks. Even he finds himself looking down at his arms, so bare of words, more often than he'd care to admit. And when faced with the choice of staying or going, he takes one last look through the windows of the observation deck and takes his leave.

After all, dreams won't bring food to the table.

\--

It's sheer luck he was the first to wake on the Hyperion. Sitting in the locker room waiting for his father to arrive for the briefing, he pulls out a marker from his locker and stares at his arm. It feels like only yesterday since he wrote his goodbye, but SAM and his omnitool insist six centuries have passed.

“Got a special someone here with you?” Cora asks conversationally, nodding at his arm.

Scott shakes his head and says, “No, I don't think so. It's just...an old habit.”

The admission leaves him more embarrassed than he expected. Sara knew—but she’s always known everything. He’s never talked about his silent partner with anyone else before, and these people are strangers, all with their own partners and stories.

Cora opens her mouth to say something but before she can, Alec Ryder marches into the room. “Is everyone ready?”

Tucking the marker away, Scott stands up to join his father.

\--

“You’ll never get away with this, you charlatan!”

Reyes smiles. “That’s one of my favourite movies. How did you know?”

The salarian blinks. “Wha—?”

He walks away and gestures for the guards to finish the job. It hadn’t been his original intention to kill her, but as it is, he can't risk word of his work getting back to Sloane.

The mighty leader of the Outcasts deserves a better send off than that.

A gunshot rings out as the door closes behind him.

“That name's going to catch on, you know,” a voice chimes in. “They’ve been looking for something to call you.”

Chuckling, Reyes shrugs as Keema joins him. “Charlatan? I can think of worse.”

It's been fourteen months since he first woke up in this galaxy and still, no arks.

Suddenly, a sharp pain hits him and stops him dead in his tracks.

“Reyes?”

He looks down, fully expecting to find a bullet hole or two.

Nothing.

“Reyes, are you alright?”

The pain in his chest slowly fades to an empty numbness and he furrows his brows, still inspecting himself for injuries. “I'm…” His chest feels hollowed out and though the pain has faded, there’s a lingering soreness. Something is very wrong and his instincts are screaming at him to find somewhere to hide. Shaking his head, he takes a deep breath and straightens himself.  “I'm fine. Apologies, what were we talking just about?”

When he returns to the Tartarus, Reyes immediately checks himself over once more, the feeling of emptiness persisting. Satisfied that his intestines aren't spilling out, he reaches out through his network to see if anything noteworthy happened recently.

Mere days later after this incident, the Hyperion appears.

\--

_'I know you’re not there, but what do I do now?’_

He writes the words on his arm and shakes his head. Sitting with his back to the railing in the SAM Node, he leans back and sighs, letting the marker fall to the ground and roll away.

The darkness and silence of the room is a welcomed comfort. It's only here that he can be left alone with his thoughts. Although being in the SAM Node reminds him of his father, it's better than going to the Pathfinder’s room where memories permeate the place, reminding him of the family he no longer has.

At least here, he can concentrate on the most current crisis while he waits for his new ship to be prepped.

The meeting with the Nexus leadership had gone about as well as it could've given the current situation. There’s nothing he can say to these people, who here have been stranded here for over a year, surrounded by hostiles and with little hope of rescue. Without his father around, he knows his only selling point is that he's a Ryder and the fact that no one has any other choice. “SAM, still nothing?”

“No, Pathfinder.” The title makes his stomach drop every time. “Your father has blocked all access to those files for the time being. I cannot find the information you seek unless you gather the keys.”

Scott lets out another sigh. “Alright, thanks for trying anyway.” With a hand on his knee, he pushes himself up. “C’mon, let's go check on Sara.”

\--

Compared to the Milky Way, the messages on his arm come far and few in between. They're often disjointed and vague—not all that surprising for someone who's taken on the responsibility of the Nexus’ survival. He thinks of each one as a small miracle after he finds out about how Scott came to inherit the title of Pathfinder.

Sometimes they're funny.

_'Sara’s going to kill me in my sleep for meeting her partner first.’_

Other times they're disheartening.

_'I can't do this. What was he thinking?’_

But other times still, the message come as announcements to a new, hopeful start in Andromeda.

_‘An outpost on Eos. This is the start we needed.’_

Reyes leans back and takes a gulp of beer. The new Pathfinder seems to be making his way around Andromeda if Evfra’s most recent update is anything to go by.

“This ‘Scott Ryder’ I just deployed to join the rescue efforts on Volde, have you heard of him?”

Chuckling, he shrugs at the vidcon. “Who hasn't?”

Evfra scowls. “Don't be coy.”

He keeps the grin on his face. “I would never. Was there something in particular you wanted to know?”

Eventually, Scott will find his way to Kadara.

And then what?

\--

Meeting Reyes takes his breath away. The man is charming and handsome and there's a spark between them that he can't deny even if he wanted to.

And he wants to.

Badly.

The crush is expected but the guilt is not. Twelve years, give or take six hundred, with no response and he's _still_ thinking of someone he's never met—will _never_ meet.

Sara would tell him to move on, and she would be right, but she's not here right now. So, rubbing his arm, he walks around Kadara Port, hoping to find someone to talk him out of this crush of his.

The dead body is equally unexpected.

Suddenly, he gets pinged. “Reyes?”

“That body, do you think you can get a scan of it?”

He furrows his brows and looks around. “How did you—”

“This is Kadara,” is all Reyes says. “Send me a scan of the body and meet me at Tartarus in the slums. I think this might be connected to something bigger.”

Reyes keeps his tone light, but Scott can tell it's a serious request. “I'll see what I can do.”

\--

_'I’m sorry but I can't wait forever, can I?’_

Reyes stares at the words, lying in bed in one of his apartments. He knows Scott isn't talking to him—doesn’t know _who_ he's talking to or if he's talking to anyone at all, but the words still make him anxious.

Having finally met the man, he wishes he'd answered sooner. But he's come this far and they've _met_ and there's no way he can just saunter up to Scott and say, “Hello, by the way, I'm your connected.”

He drapes his arm over his eyes and sighs.

Scott thinks he's a good person.

A good person would write something back.

All it would take is a pen and a few simple words like _'You don't have to anymore’_ or _'I’m here’_ or even just _'Hello’_. But the mere thought of it is enough to drain his courage and all he can do it lie there and wait for the words to fade.

\--

Sloane’s party is tamer than he expected, but it gets a lot more fun after he gets a shot of Umi’s latest creation.

The next thing he knows, he's pushing himself up off the floor and stretching a kink out of his neck. Yawning, he looks around, trying to find his missing date.

SAM helpfully informs him of Reyes’ last known location and he starts walking over towards the door—but not before telling a gambling man to pick odds and winning him a couple of credits.

Scott finds Reyes in the storage room and clears his throat. The smuggler immediately turns around and hops off the crate, hiding whatever surprise he might’ve felt behind his usual grin. “Scott! Not enjoying the party?”

He arches a brow and crosses his arms. “Would be more fun with the plus one, don't you think?”

“Depends on the party,” Reyes answers lightly. “I was just looking for something for us to enjoy—” He's cut off by the sound of footsteps approaching. “Quick—” He's cut off again when Scott kisses him.

Although he told himself that he'd move on and stop writing on his arm, Scott never expected himself to act quite so boldly either. Detaching himself from Reyes, he smiles sheepishly.

Reyes chuckles. “I think the coast is clear.”

“Maybe just another kiss just in case?” he suggests, Umi’s liquid courage still coursing through his system.

“I’ll hold you to that in a little bit,” Reyes promises, returning his attention to the crates. After a little more digging, he pulls out a bottle with a triumphant shout.

Crossing his arms, Scott arches a brow. “You do realize the party has an open bar, right?”

Reyes holds the bottle close, affronted. “This is a bottle of Mount Milgrom triple distilled. The only one in this galaxy. I've been eyeing this baby since the Milky Way.”

“Congratulations, then,” he huffs with the shake of his head. There's a bit of a sting, but he can't act like he's surprised considering who his date is. “Does that mean the party's over then?”

“I know a private one that just started if you're interested,” Reyes says, offering his hand. “I hear the alcohol choice is excellent.”

Scott smiles and takes the extended hand. “I don't know. Do you think my date will actually stick around for this one?”

Laughing, Reyes nods. “No promises, but I think he'll try his best.”

\--

Sitting at the top of the building with his bottle of liquid gold, he uncorks the whiskey and gives it a long sniff. “Definitely worth the 600-year wait.”

Reyes offers Scott the first drink.

He is a gentleman, after all.

And because Scott Ryder, too, was definitely worth the 600-year wait.

Scott makes a noise of appreciation and he smiles. 'My connected has good taste,’ Reyes thinks with satisfaction.

Taking a swig, he sighs and looks out at the sunset. It's beautiful but not nearly as dynamic as what he's used to for being planet-side. Sure, there are sulphuric lakes, but he came from a place of extremes. Here, there’s no biting wind, no scorching heat, no frozen rain. He's facing the sunset, but knows that behind him will be more hazy pink and orange rather than the encroaching night sky.

“Is Andromeda everything you thought it'd be?” Reyes asks, distracting himself from the sudden wave of homesickness.

With another gulp of whiskey, Scott looks out into the distance and shrugs. “I thought I'd be here with my family, but I think I've found myself a new one.” Reyes can't help but notice the way he glances down at his arm. “I’m still waiting for Sara to wake up, of course. But this is the fresh start I was looking for.”

It's not fair.

He knows this.

It's not fair in the least that he has so much more information than Scott. Reyes tightens his grip on the bottle and takes a long drink. The longer he keeps this up, the harder it will be to reveal the truth.

“What about you? Why did you come to Andromeda, Reyes?”

Glancing over at Scott and those inquisitive eyes, he decides that maybe the truth can wait just a little longer.

Considering his options, he settles for honesty.

“I came chasing a dream.”

Scott arches a brow in interest. “Yeah? Did you catch it?”

“I’m not too sure yet,” he says quietly with a shrug. Putting the bottle down, Reyes reaches out and cups the other man’s face. “So, about that kiss I had on hold…”

\--

Although his crew is an eclectic mix, Scott wouldn't trade them for anyone else in the world.

 _Most_ of the time.

“Peebee! I'm going to kill you!”

“Oh, what's that? Rem-tech for sale in the market? Sorry, Ryder, looks like I need to run! It's for science!” the asari immediately replies over the comms.

Washing the drawings off his face, he takes one final look in the mirror before leaving the ship and catching a shuttle down to the slums.

“Sorry I’m late. I fell asleep and got vandalized,” Scott says, entering the Tartarus’ private room.

“How can anyone think to deface such a nice face,” Reyes replies with a chuckle to himself. Turning the lights up with his omnitool, he steps forward to take a closer look and grins. “They got you good.”

Scott frowns, glancing around for a reflective surface. “Really? I thought I washed it all off. Where is it?”

Pulling off one of his gloves, Reyes licks his thumb and reaches out to wipe the underside of his jaw. Scott freezes up; a shiver running down his spine at the contact. It's no wonder he missed it. Sara used to laugh at him for unintentionally leaving patches of stubble there when shaving.

He's about to thank him when he notices a faint mark underneath the other man’s jaw.

“Hang on, almost got it.”

His heart skips a beat and dread bubbles in his stomach when he sees the mark simultaneously disappear from Reyes’ face.

Before the man can retract his hand, Scott reaches out and holds him still while he rummages through his pockets for the marker he still carries around but no longer uses.

“Scott?”

He quickly scribbles a line on his hand and watches as the same line appears on the other man. “Reyes...you...”

Catching onto the situation, Reyes takes a step back and studies his hand before turning his attention back to him. “Scott, I can explain.”

“Explain? You mean you _knew_?” he asks, voice raising. “Have you always known!? When did this start? In Andromeda or the Milky Way?”

Without looking away, Reyes answers calmly, “The Milky Way.”

Scott runs a hand through his hair and starts pacing the room, trying to gather his thoughts. “So for twelve years. For _six hundred_ and twelve years, you've known that we were...we were…”

“Connected?” Reyes fills in for him.

“Yes, you knew we were _connected_ and never thought to reply?” he rambles, wishing he could stop himself. “Not 'hello’ or 'I exist’ or anything more than ink splotches on your hands?”

Reyes gives a start and in the back of his mind, he can't help but be pleased that he finally drew a reaction other than infuriating calm from the man. “Engine oil,” he mutters.

He blinks. “What?”

“Those were engine oil stains. I didn't think—no, never mind that,” Reyes says with the shake of his head. “Like I said, I can explain.”

“No, I don't want to hear your excuses. Were you _ever_ going to tell me?” He holds up a hand to cut off whatever reply Reyes had. “Wait, don't answer that. I don't care. I don't care! I. Don’t. Care. I'm leaving.” He backs up towards the doorway. “I need to think, so don't...just, don't.”

Then he turns around and leaves.

\--

The reveal goes about as well as he expected. He hasn't heard from Scott since the Pathfinder stormed out of his room—not that he can blame the man. It was a stupid mistake. Why did he think only his arms were affected?

Running a hand through his hair, Reyes sighs and orders a drink. He doesn't have time for this. He should be planning his next move. He should…

Reyes plops down onto the couch and takes a deep, shaky breath.

He shouldn't be so heartbroken when he knew something like this would happen eventually.

Someone from the bar comes in and slides the bottle onto his table and leaves without a word. He pops the top and takes a long drink.

He should call Keema and set up a meeting.

Taking another swig, he silently lies down on the couch and covers his eyes with an arm and exhales.

He should do a lot of things, but maybe he'll allow himself to wallow for a little while.

\--

“Vetra, can I ask you a question?”

Leaning against the rail in her usual spot on the Nexus, Vetra looks over. “Yes?”

Scott runs a hand through his hair, refraining from pacing, his mind still whirling even though it's already been days. “Did you ever tell Sara about what you do? Like, the off record part.”

She scoffs. “I won't cry if you use the word 'smuggling’. And no, I haven't yet.”

“Yet? You're going to tell her?” he asks.

“Sure? I'm not trying to hide it and you're her _brother_. She'd find out eventually,” Vetra reasons. “It's just a topic better broached face to face.”

He never did find out if Reyes had ever planned on telling him everything. Would he have liked the answer? Would he have _believed_ the answer? “Did you ever hesitate? To answer to Sara’s message, I mean.”

Vetra crosses her arms in thought before shrugging. “Yes, I wasn't exactly in a position to have a pen pal at the time, but I'm glad I did. Did something happen, Scott?”

Pausing, he's about to answer when he gets a call from Dr. Carlyle. “Scott, get over to the medbay, stat! Sara’s awake!”

The two of them exchange glances. “You go first,” Vetra tells him. “She'll want to see you first and make sure you're alright.”

He nods and sprints over to the shuttle, their conversation forgotten. Finger tapping against his arm as he paces in circles, he waits impatiently as they're ferried over to the Hyperion.

The medbay door slides open and he rushes through, running straight into Sara’s opened arms. “Took you long enough, sis. You almost missed out on all the fun,” he says, unable to keep the relief out of his voice and the tears out of his eyes.

He can feel her laughing against him even as tears soak through his clothes. “Yeah, well, I'm here now, Scotty. I'm here.” Holding her close, he doesn't know where to start. Luckily, Sara draws back a little and snorts. “I can't believe they let the human Pathfinder run around in a Blasto tank like that.”

Laughing, he wipes the tears away with the back of his hand and retorts, “Shut up, you have one too. I'll have you know I faced down the leader of a hostile species in this shirt.”

“That’s my baby brother,” Sara coos. Then more seriously, taking his hand, she looks up. “I'm sorry about Dad. I'm sorry I wasn't there with you.”

Scott lowers his gaze and shakes his head. “I'm okay, Sara,” he says tightly, tears welling up in his eyes again. “I made it this far, didn't I? Besides, you'll be joining us out there soon enough.”

She smiles a little. “You couldn't keep me cooped up here even if you strapped me down.”

“I wouldn’t put it past Harry to find a way. He’s an expert in dealing with Ryders.” Behind him, the medbay doors slide open and he smiles, stepping aside. She dries her eyes and glances up at him. He nods towards the door. “More importantly though, there's someone you should meet.”

Sara follows his nod and her eyes widen. “Oh, you're gorgeous.”

Vetra steps forward, her mandibles flaring. “Looks like Scott beat me to the punch with the waterworks. Hello, Sara. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

\--

Reyes hears about the other Ryder waking up through his channels. It's been weeks but Scott’s still maintaining his radio silence. Reyes does his best to distance himself from the situation.

Sulking won't help anyone here.

Instead, he turns his attention back to Kadara and Sloane Kelly. If anything, maybe he can use Scott’s avoidance to his advantage. The last thing he needs is the Pathfinder getting caught up in a showdown between gang leaders.

_“You look like you're waiting for someone.”_

Reyes glances over at the movie he's been playing in the background. The actors smile at one another as the man takes the woman’s hand and the two start dancing. This particular film always reminds him of home—of hiding underneath the covers and murmuring the lines with the characters.

What would his mother say if she could see him now? She'd probably shake her head, jet black hair with streaks of white tied up in an elaborate braided bun. Her eyes would look at him with equal part love and exasperation as she sighs, _“Mijo, you went and did something foolish again even after I told you not to. You left everything behind to chase after this connected of yours. Now what?”_

Rubbing the back of his neck, he sighs, “Now I go and dethrone Sloane Kelly.” Getting up, he turns the movie off and calls Keema. “It’s time. Let's do this.”

He doesn’t know what will happen with Scott in the end, but if there's one thing he's good at, it's taking care of himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was wondering why the chapter was taking so long to write and it was because it was the length of two. So I extended the fic to 4 chapters.


	4. Chapter 4

The urgent hail from Sloane is unexpected. It's with great reluctance that Scott makes his way back to Kadara only to get dragged into being the sole witness for the grand finale of the power struggle between the two gangs.

Scott hates that his first thought is to call Reyes for more information. Sitting in the Nomad, he considers his situation again. Angry and hurt or not, he probably shouldn't walk into this blind.

Rubbing the armour on his arm idly, Scott shakes his head. There's no need. He's a Pathfinder with a fancy AI. “We can take on a couple of gang leaders if need be,” he mutters. “Can't we?”

“Pathfinder, it might be wise to consult Mr. Vidal,” SAM replies.

A crackle.

_“Where are you, Princess?”_

He never thought the day would come where he's happy to hear Sloane’s voice, but here he is. “I’m almost there,” he answers through the comms. Returning his attention to driving, he shrugs. “Looks like we don't have the time for that, SAM. Shame.”

It's at times like these that he's glad SAM doesn't have facial features because even without them, he can feel the AI giving him the side-eye.

But as it turns out, there's no need to find Reyes.

Because the universe hates Scott.

“Surprise.”

The initial shock quickly gets swept away by renewed anger. Fists clenched, he snarls. “This whole time you've been lying to me. About _everything_.”

Reyes winces so minutely he almost dismisses it as a trick of the light. “That's not true. I hope you can believe that much,” he says quietly, his eyes somber.

“You said you wanted to 'settle things’. How?” Sloane interrupts, stepping forward.

Holding his tongue, Scott allows the event to move forward.

Turning back to her, Reyes smiles and jumps down from the ledge. “A duel. You and me. Right now. Winner takes Kadara Port.”

As the two circle around each other, hands hovering above their pistols, SAM points out the sniper. He shouldn't be surprised by foul play here, but so caught up in the situation at hand, he forgot to keep an eye out for it. The realization leaves him feeling a little stupid for worrying about Reyes at all, but then turning back to the two, Scott considers his options.

If he lets things be, Reyes will win and walk away safe and sound, albeit unfairly. If he warns Sloane, chances are, she'll shoot Reyes dead on the spot and Scott's not sure if he's really willing to give up the partner he finally found.

Not yet.

Despite all the secrets and whatever their relationship may be at the moment, Scott _does_ believe Reyes cares about the exiles on Kadara. Reyes may not be the good man he once thought, but he probably cares. It shows in the soup kitchen, the support for Doctor Nakamura’s work, and everything he doesn't take credit for.

So he doesn't do anything and watches Sloane Kelly lose her throne to the Charlatan with a bang.

“I guess you got everything you wanted,” Scott says, following the new leader of Kadara to the back of the cave. It come out more accusatory than he intended, the guilt tinging his words and mouth with bitterness. He may not have pulled the trigger, but it was his choice that led to Sloane’s death.

Reyes finishes sending something out on his omnitool and turns around. “What I want is peace. I didn't come all the way here to die in whatever war Sloane wanted to start.”

He frowns. “I'm still not really sure why you came at all.”

However Reyes felt hearing those words, he keeps his face neutral and says quietly, “I told you why.”

“Was your dream to become the ruler of a planet?” Scott asks with a scoff.

“No, that was never in my plan and neither was being the Charlatan. It wasn’t exactly written on in the brochures they handed us on the first day,” Reyes mutters dryly with a shrug. “When we got to Kadara, I didn’t like the way the Outcasts handled things so I handled things the only way I knew how.”

Running a hand through his hair, he asks, “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

Reyes casts his gaze downward. “I liked the way you looked at me. I was afraid that would change though I suspect it’s already too late for that.”

Searching his face, Scott doesn't know what he's looking but all he finds are rueful eyes and calm acceptance. Left at a loss, he asks, “So what now?”

“I honestly don't know, Scott.” Back in the cave, the Collective sniper starts calling for their leader to help with Sloane’s body. Reyes raises a hand but seems to think better of it and walks away with a “Please excuse me. Meet me at the Tartarus later. We can talk more there.”

\--

He’s surprised when Scott actually shows up at the door and less surprised to see the gun in his hand. Without moving from his seat, Reyes raises his drink to his lips and his free hand in this air. “Relax, Scott, I’m not stupid enough to attack you. I’ve watched you take out a Roekaar base with nothing more than a pistol.”

Narrowing his eyes, Scott lowers his arms. “You seem pretty confident I’m not here to just kill you.”

“You certainly didn’t need to wait for my invitation to do so, Pathfinder,” he answers easily.

Scott seems to deflate at his words and puts the gun away. “Why am I here, Reyes?” he asks, his voice soft, vulnerable. Then, more darkly, he adds, “You said we could talk or was that another lie?”

“No, I just—” Words seem to flee him for a moment. Reyes lowers his eyes and quickly gathers his courage and composure. He dug this hole for himself. He’ll either dig himself back out or bury himself in it. “If it’s not too late, I was hoping to make a case for myself.”

“I don't know if I'm ready to listen,” Scott admits.

Reyes decides to take the admission as a good sign. The fact that the man is still talking to him is probably worth something. “Yes, I thought that might be the case. It would be unfair to do this on anyone’s timeline but yours.” Reaching over, he takes the notebook off the table and hands it over, the paper yellowed and worn from time and exposure.

Scott blinks as he studies the cover, the word 'cuaderno’ faded but still legible. “A paper notebook?”

“Sorry, I probably should've digitalized it but there's just something about having a hard copy and flipping through the pages,” Reyes mutters with a helpless shrug. “If you don't mind, I'd like you to have it.”

“What am I supposed to do with it?”

He shakes his head. “Whatever you want, Scott. Read it if you want, throw it out if you don't.” Suddenly, his comms ping at him and he gets up, pleased to have an excuse to leave. “Looks like I have to run. If you ever need me for anything, you know where to find me. And if you'd rather do your Pathfinder business with someone else, Keema’s been instructed to be as accommodating as possible for you.”

“Reyes…” Scott takes a step forward but he seems to change his mind and lowers his arm.

Glancing back, he smiles a little ruefully. “Feel free to have a drink on me. I believe I still owe you a few. Just tell Kian to put it on my tab.”

And if the goodbye he meant to say gets stuck in his throat, well, Scott doesn't need to know about it.

\--

Scott doesn't take him up on the offer, opting to return to the Tempest instead where he gets hailed by Avitus.

The Natanus has been found.

Leaving the notebook in his room momentarily forgotten, he goes to meet the former SPECTRE on the ark only to find it torn apart and offline. They run through the ark with their guns drawn only to find nothing.

There's no one onboard.

Everything is silent until they rummage through broken consoles for logs. Scott has a sinking feeling even when Macen Barro’s voices comes through. Avitus doesn't seem to notice, visibly brightening at the voice and deflating when the log gets cut off. “Can't you get it back?”

“The rest of the file is too damaged, I'm sorry,” Scott says. “We’ll find him, Avitus.”

The turian dips his head and closes his eyes for a moment. “We have to. I couldn't—Macen’s everything to me. He's my _mate_.”

Scott swallows hard, the dread building up further. “Can't you write to him then?”

“We aren't—it’s not like that. Macen and I, we chose each other. We made a life together. We chose to come here. It was all _us_ ,” Avitus says, voice tight. He turns around and ventures deeper into the ship. “C’mon, let's go find the next console.”

In the end, the only thing they find is a broken SAM.

“ _Avi, Avi, Avi. Stars. Commence._ ”

\--

Reyes tries not to think about it—tries to keep his mind occupied by whatever fire needs putting out at the moment. The Outcasts, or whatever remains of them, have gone feral, starting small skirmishes at drop-off points. So far, they haven't managed to take anything of importance but it's a nuisance nonetheless.

Sliding the door of the shuttle open with an assault rifle in his hand, raised and ready to fire, he spots several figures ducking behind crates and frowns. He gestures for the pilot to go back up into the air and tosses a grenade down onto the landing pad.

A chain of explosions go off, rocking the shuttle despite the distance. Reyes frowns. Next time, he should do the piloting himself. “This drop is a no go,” he says into his comms. “Keema, I'm retreating. They have the site lined with explosives. We'll need to send in a ground team to clear them out first.”

“ _Copy that. Should I request back-up?_ ”

It’s her subtle way of asking to contact the Pathfinder. She's been doing this an awful lot ever since she found out about the maybe-breakup between him and the Pathfinder. “No need,” he answers lightly.

“ _Are you certain?_ ”

Reyes stifles a frown. “We have all the people we need to deal with this, don't we? I want a sweep of the area by the end of the day. Expect mines and hostiles.”

She sighs—a bad habit she’s picked up as of recently. “ _Of course._ ”

\--

Returning to his room feeling a little hollowed out, he doesn't need to look out the window to see the Natanus flying alongside the Tempest, shepherded by the smaller ship to meet Nexus crew half-way.

Avitus had been despondent after accepting the role of Pathfinder. Still on the ark on his own, he had asked to be left alone to find his bearings in a world that suddenly seemed impossibly empty. On his way out, Scott could hear Avitus quietly asking his SAM to play Macen’s logs _just...one more time, please_.

Glancing over at the notebook on his table, he picks it up and studies it. He’d been hesitant to read it in fear of what he’d find, but in the wake of Macen’s death, he doesn’t think he’d be able to bear the regret should anything happen to him or Reyes before they can reconcile one way or another.

Resolved, he holds the flimsy book in his lap and flips the page open with a crinkle. There, in a messy scrawl, on the front page:

_'Reyes Vidal’_

Flipping through the pages, he sees the lines covered in numbers and letters. Schoolwork. There are a few pages torn out—maybe to be handed in?

Scott arches a brow. As adorable as the thought of Reyes in school is, he doesn't understand the purpose of this notebook. Huffing, he continues leafing through the pages until he notices English written on the back of one of the pages.

From there, he realizes that he's been going about this backwards. Starting from the last page, he sees his name written there followed by several messages he'd probably written as a child.

The handwriting of the notes underneath are a little different, suggesting the passage of time.

_'Hi, are you working?’_

_‘Hola, ¿estas trabajando? (To work = Trabajar)’_

Brows furrowed, he asks, “SAM? Mind helping me out here? My Spanish is a little nonexistent.”

The collection of translation notes and messy scribbles in Spanish have him engrossed. Together with SAM, they work through the backlog of replies until they eventually transition into fluent English over years of practice.

\--

Reyes sighs, staring at the cover of another notebook. There are a couple more in the old duffel bag he’d taken out from underneath the bed in one of his apartments. He doesn't know why he lugged them across the Milky Way then all the way to Andromeda when he's never taken the time to review them.

He knows vaguely what they contain (he is, after all, the author), but he wonders what compelled him to give one to Scott.

Making a case for himself, he had said.

Really, he just wanted Scott to know a little more about him and the place he came from.

Not that these will help very much, a snappy voice in head mutters as he flips through the pages, occasionally sighing at the now obvious mistakes in his spelling and grammar. He pauses when he spots a particularly well penned paragraph followed by translation notes.

' _Dearly Connected,_

_I don’t understand this connection. Is it random or is it sacred? If it’s something decreed by the universe, then why can we fight it? These are questions I find myself wondering but with no one to ask._

_I’ve met too many people who got through life just fine without ever having a connected or in spite of it to think we were meant to be together because of it. But nevertheless, I would very much like to meet you.’_

\--

The turian ark docks without a hitch and Scott swings by the Pathfinder’s Room where Sara’s been relocated to find his sister and Vetra speaking quietly. A familiar sense of envy arises and he quickly quashes it.

He _has_ a partner now.

No matter how much of an enigma he turned out to be.

Spotting him, Vetra takes her leave, greeting him casually on her way out.

“Scotty, I am in _love_!” She exclaims with a grin when he gets to her side. “Vetra’s even more amazing than I thought!”

Her excitement is contagious and he finds himself smiling along. “Who _doesn't_ want a spiky girlfriend?”

“Hey, you’re the one who wanted someone with all the same parts, remember? You can't complain that I'm the one who got a spiky turian smuggler girlfriend,” Sara sighs happily.

He raises a brow. “She told you about all of that then? You don't mind that she kept it a secret from you all this time?”

She shrugs. “No really. I mean, I get it. It's nice writing each other but some things need to be done in person. Besides, she's the one who got your ship stocked and off the ground, right? _And_ she's been watching your back. With everything that's happened since we got here—well, sometimes actions speak louder than words.”

“Okay, yeah, we wouldn't have gotten very far without Vetra,” he concedes sheepishly. “And she's pretty great either way. We’re all lucky to have her.”

Sara eyes him for a moment and moves over, gesturing for him to sit down. “What happened, Scotty?”

Too obvious then. Taking a seat, he rubs the back of his head and asks feebly, “Wouldn't you rather talk about Vetra some more?”

She cuffs him on the shoulder. “You've listened to me for over a decade now and you'll have to listen to me for many decades more. I think I can spare a few minutes for you.”

So he tells her everything and she listens, her expression giving nothing away. When Scott finishes his story, he shrugs. “So I understand a lot more now, but I still don't know what to do.”

“Shoot him.”

Scott does a double take. “What?”

“Shoot him and get it over with,” Sara repeats. “Want me to do it for you?”

“No! No killing! That’s a terrible plan!”

“But he lied to you,” she points out. “ _Twice_.”

He shakes his head vehemently. “Just because he withheld some information—sensitive information, yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's out to get me. The situation’s complicated and I'm not shooting anyone until I talk to him about it. I _like_ him, Sara! Partners or not.”

Sara sits back and smiles, looking entirely too pleased with herself. “Go talk to him then, you weenie. Stop overthinking this. It sounds like you know exactly what to do.”

Opening and closing his mouth a few times before settling into a scowl, Scott huffs. “Very cute. You're the _worst_ , Sara. How did I ever get stuck with you?”

At this, she starts snickering. “Twins are a special kind of partner, Scotty. Whatever happens, I'll always have your back.”

Rolling his eyes, he scoffs. “Yeah, to stab it maybe.”

His sister holds a hand up to her heart. “I would never! You know I prefer hand-to-hand combat.”

Deflating, he folds his hands in his lap and glances down and asks quietly, “What if it’s not that simple? What if I hear him out and I still don’t know? Sara, did you ever consider the possibility that Vetra wouldn't be the right person for you?”

“Of course. Just because we can write each other, it don't think it means we're meant to be or anything,” Sara answers easily, but not unkindly. “I _still_ don’t know if we’re meant to be but I’m excited to find out. Even if we end up just friends, I don’t think that makes it any less special.”

Sara reaches over and ruffles his hair. “Mom and Dad may have given us unrealistic expectations about what this connection means, but at the end of the day, you’re going to have all sorts of partners in life, Scotty, and this?” She holds up her arm. “This is just one of them. So if you like this guy, shouldn’t you be over there trying to sort this out? Partners or not.”

Scott mulls over her words before reaching out to squeeze her hand. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, sis. I guess you can be pretty smart sometimes.”

She smiles. “That's why I'm the older twin, baby bro.”

\--

He's in bed when a tingle run up his arm wakes him up. Glancing down, he's surprised to see the writing there after so many weeks of silence. Turning on the lights by his bed to see better, he reads, _'Reyes?’_

Blinking the blurriness out of his eyes, he rummages around for something to write with before pausing. Then, silently scolding himself, he shakes away his hesitation and replies, ' _Hello, Scott.’_

Reyes watches as Scott proceeds to write and scratch out words on his arm, struggling to find the words. The Pathfinder ends up settling for _'You learnt English on your own.’_

He arches a brow. Is this Scott's way of extending an offer of peace? Unsure what to make of it, he plays it safe and responds with _'I think I did pretty well, don't you?’_

_'It never occurred to me that you were anything but fluent.’_

All those late nights spent looking up and writing down new words in his notebook paid off then, he thinks with a mixture of nostalgia and amusement. _'Thank you.’_

As if unsure of where to go from there, Scott writes, _‘The turian ark has been found.’_

 _'That’s excellent news. Congratulations,’_ he writes back.

There's a moment of pause and after a couple of beats, he wonders if that's his cue to go back to sleep. The fact that Scott decided to message him was already an unexpected surprise. Then he gets another message.

_‘Why didn't you tell me?’_

He lowers his gaze before tightening his grip on the marker.

_'Because I was afraid to lose you.’_

Again, another pause. He convinces himself that he's fine—that there's no anxiety roiling in his chest. No matter what happens from here on out, he still has a planet to run and meetings to attend and plans to foil. Just because he told the truth and Scott didn’t believe him doesn’t mean—

A tingle.

_'I’ll be coming back to Kadara soon. I want to talk to you in person.’_

_'Understood.’_

Lying back down, he sighs.

Another week's worth of agony then.

\--

His heart beat is deafening and this may be the most nervous he's ever felt about anything. Scott's about to step off the Tempest and head for the slums when there's a tingle down his arm. Despite himself, he feels his heart skip a beat at the sensation.

Looking down, he sees coordinates.

Scott is about to ask how Reyes knew he landed when he shakes his head and reminds himself that this is Kadara. Of course the shadow king of the planet knows who’s coming in and out of his docks.

“My navigation system indicates that the coordinates are here in Kadara Port,” SAM tells him.

“Great, get me a map and directions, would you?” he sighs.

“You look like you're about to face down a pack of kett barehanded,” Liam tells him.

He scoffs. “That'd be easier.”

“That bad, huh? You want backup?”

Shaking his head, he replies, “Nah, I'm good. Thanks. I'll give you and Drack a call if a duel breaks out.”

Weaving around buildings and alleyways, it doesn't take long to find a high-rise building. Another shiver down his arm.

_'Top floor.’_

He looks up with an arched brow. It makes sense for the Charlatan, he supposes. Safety must be a top priority for the ruler of Kadara. There's probably a landing pad on the roof for a quick escape. Idly, he wonders if Reyes had a back-up plan during the duel or if he’d really staked everything on that sniper and Scott’s silence.

Decidedly not continuing with that train of thought, he steps inside and takes the elevator up to the top floor and waits. When the door opens, a dimly lit apartment is revealed to him. He tenses at first, but then he notices a projection on the wall of a colourful but harsh looking terrain. The sight fills him with awe, not unlike the first time he caught sight of Habitat 7.

“Have you ever been to South America, Scott?” a soft voice asks from the far end of the apartment. In the dark, he can't quite make out Reyes’ expression, but his voice is wistful.

“No, I can't say I have,” he replies, just half a whisper.

The photos change.

\--

Eyes not leaving the projected image, Reyes remembers taking that particular one on his way back from the port. The sunlight hit the mountains a certain way, colouring them bright orange with streaks of red, and even though he'd passed them innumerable times, he thought them especially breathtaking that day. “That’s where I'm from. A little town up in northern Chile with a headcount of maybe a hundred strong.”

“What was that like?” Scott asks, approaching quietly.

Reyes glances up in thought. “Every morning before dawn, a transport shuttle would arrive to bring half of the adults to the mines while the rest worked the farms. Every day, all the children would pile into the town's only cargo shuttle to attend school in the next town over. And once a week, we'd send that same shuttle to the nearest port to buy and sell supplies.”

Scott blinks. “Sounds a bit like our outposts.”

“About the same size, but with less tech, less money, and less traffic,” Reyes answers. “Also more weather and DIY projects.”

Taking a seat on the other couch, Scott nods. “The engine oil.”

Smiling, he shrugs. “I got roped into piloting that cargo shuttle when I was 13. The first time it broke down, I was in the middle of nowhere. You learn how to repair aircrafts quickly after that. I don’t think I had the vocabulary to write about that experience at the time.” He pauses. “I was 15 when I first heard from you. I was a simple mountain boy who knew more Quechua than English. I had no idea what you wrote.”

Standing with his against the couch, Scott crosses his arms and nods. “And your mother wasn’t very happy about it, was she?”

“No, she tried to warn me, but I was never the most obedient child in town,” Reyes says with a soft chuckle to himself. “I wanted to know what you were writing so I went and stole books from the library to learn. I wanted so badly to write you back, but then I understood the enormity of it, and I was suddenly afraid of what you'd think.”

Scott glances down. “You thought I would leave you like your mother’s partner did.”

He shrugs. “Everything I know about it is from rumour, but at the very least, I didn’t want to put myself in the same position as her; helpless and at the whim of another’s decision. I wanted to stand as your equal when we met, so I left my little town and explored the galaxy to make a name for myself.”

“Talk about spoilers.” Pulling out his notebook, Scott places it gently on the table in front of him. “I only got the first volume of the story, but I assume that's when I got called to the Initiative?”

Reyes nods. “Something like that. Luckily I wasn't doing anything particularly important at the time so I pulled a couple of strings, promised to send some postcards, and got onto the Nexus.”

\--

Scott studies him, trying to slot all the pieces together to form a better understanding in his head. He lets his gaze drift down to his hands as he mulls over the words. “I used to look at those oil splotches on my arm and wonder what kind of person you were and what it’d be like to meet you.”

Reyes arches a brow. “And now that you have?”

“You’re so much more than anything I could’ve imagined,” he confesses. “The more I learn about you, the more complicated everything becomes.”

Sighing, Reyes shakes his head. “Forgive me. My secrecy was not malicious, but I should’ve told you. About both my title and our connection. Evidently, silence only made things worse.”

He shrugs. “Maybe, but your situation’s always been different than mine and what’s done is done. It’s nice to know you’re here now,” he says with a slight smile. “As for your work, I’m not exactly in a position to judge your work when mine isn’t any cleaner. I just happen have better PR.”

Reyes scoffs quietly to himself. “I’d take this job over reporting to Tann any day.”

“You and me both.” The two of them grin at each other before turning away sheepishly. Scott rubs the back of his neck and continues, “So, like I said, things are complicated, but I also think we’re overthinking this.” Resolved, he gets up and walks over to Reyes and stands in front of him, looking down. “I still like you, Reyes, and I want to see where this goes. Can’t it just be as simple as that?”

Wrapping his arms around his waist, Reyes mutters, “As simple as that, huh?”

Reassured by the touch, he reaches out and cards his fingers through the other man’s hair. “Yeah, well, we’re definitely equals now so it should be a mutual agreement. Connected or not. So what do you say?”

Looking up, Reyes smiles and pulls him down for a kiss. “Scott Ryder, nothing would make me happier than to see how things between us go. Connected or not.”

Eagerly returning the kiss, he breathes, “I guess that's that then.”

“That’s that then,” Reyes repeats. Then, with bright eyes and a grin on his face, he teases, “Who would’ve thought the Pathfinder had such bad taste in men?”

He reaches out and pushes Reyes down so that he’s straddling the other man and laughs, “It's not so bad. There's this one guy you might like. He’s from a little town in Chile and learnt English just for me.”

“That doesn’t sound very bad at all,” Reyes says, playing along. “Tell me, is he very handsome?”

Scott rolls his eyes. “Oh yes. Very handsome and charming and smart too. In fact, he’s kind of a big deal on this planet but let’s keep that on the down low.” He pauses as a thought hits him. “Wait, just so we’re clear, you don't have any more world shattering secrets, do you?”

Reyes arches a brow and replies, “No? Not since we last met, I don’t think.”

“Good,” Scott says with a mock-sigh of relief. “I know my partner’s very busy and all, but do you think he can maybe tell me those kinds of things _before_ another duel breaks out?”

Chuckling, Reyes leans in for another kiss and smiles. “No promises, but I think he'll try his best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long. Life got in the way and everything turned into a struggle but it's done! Hope you all enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy!


End file.
